Symmetrical shelter truss



A\18 26, 1969 l R. s. woRMsER 3,452,895

SYMMETRICAL SHELTER TRUSS med oct. e. 196e $16.3 54 y mmm ROBERTS.WORMSER .AQMMJQW ATTORNEYS 3,462,895 SYMMETRICAL SHELTER TRUSS RobertS. Wormser, Hillsdale, Mich., assigner to Game- Time, Inc., Litchfield,Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed Oct. 6, 1966, Ser. No. 584,697Int. Cl. E04b 1/32; E04c 3/38 US. (152-93 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A truss used in the construction of shelters or the likewherein columns and roof supporting elements are required. The truss ofthe invention consists of two sections interconnected at an obtuse anglesuitable as the angle between roof structure and a supporting column.The sections of the truss are similar in construction, being mirrorimages, and include end surfaces and end plates which are generallyparallel to the longitudinal length of the other section, and fastenerholes are dened in the sections symmetrically related to the apexdefined by the sections wherein either of the Sections may beselectively employed as a column or roof supporting portion, and the endplate-s permit trusses to be interconnected.

Trusses are commonly employed to support the roof structure of buildingsand with present day architectural techniques, it often occurs that thetrusses are exposed to view and, in fact, are often utilized for theirappearance and esthetic value. Supporting trusses, as used in buildingconstruction, are usually formed of wood or metal. Metal trusses wouldnormally have either a box-type cross section wherein the trussappearance was identical from either side of the tru-ss, or the trusswould have a nited States Patent U or C cross section wherein adifferent appearance exists,

depending on the side from which the truss is viewed.

It is a basic object of the invention to provide a supporting trussformed of metal sections of a channel or C configuration which are ofsuch form that a single truss construction may be used in either righthand or left hand applications and, yet, produce the desired appearancecharacteristics.

A further object of the invention is to provide a structural buildingtruss of metal wherein a single truss construction is of suchversatility that several modes of installation are available to theerector.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a metallicstructural support truss which is of an economical construction andhighly versatile in application wherein the truss consists ofinterconnected tapered sections of equal length, conliguration, andfabrication wherein either section may constitute the supporting column,depending on the particular installation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a metallic structuraltruss which is provided with preformed fastener-receiving holes in theinterconnected sections constituting the truss, whereby no welding atthe location of use is necessary, yet adjacent trusses may be rmlyinterconnected to provide a rigid structure.

These and other objects of the invention arising from the relationshipsand details of an embodiment thereof will be apparent from the followingdescription and accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. l is a perspective view of one embodiment of shelter which may beformed employing the truss of the invention,

FIG. 2 is an elevational, side view of a truss in accordance with theinvention,

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of a truss in accord with the inventionfrom the outside,

3,462,895 Patented Aug'. 26, 1969 e.. ICC

FIG. 4 is an elevational, cross-sectional view of a truss section astaken along section IV-IV of FIG. 2,

FIG. 5 is an end view of a truss in accord with the invention as takenalong section V-V of FIG. 2, and

FIGS. 6 through 8 are schematic views illustrating a number ofvariations of shelters which may be formed with the truss in accord withthe invention.

The configuration and features of a truss formed in accord with theinvention are best appreciated from FIGS. 2 through 5. The truss 10will, normally, be constructed of metal and has a general shape whichwill be appreciated from FIGS. 2 and 3. The truss consists of a pair ofelongated sections 12 and 12', each having an inner end portion 14 and14 and an outer end portion 16 and 16', respectively. The sections 12and 12' may be formed of 10 gauge sheet metal, for instance, and may beformed on a brake, whereby the sections are of a C-shaped,cross-sectional conguration, as will be apparent from FIG. 4. Thecross-sectional conguration of the sections includes leg portions 18depending from a planer base portion 20. If desired, the ends 22 of theleg portions may be deflected inwardly toward each other, as will beapparent.

The sections 12 and 12' are formed to a tapered contiguration, havingthe maximum width at the end of the inner end portion 14, and theminimum width occurs at the outer end portion 16. The inner ends of thesections are defined by an edge 24 which is angularly related to thelongitudinal axis of the sections so that when the ends of similarsections are abutted together and welded, the desired angle between theinterconnected sections is produced. When interconnecting the twosections 12 and 12', which constitute a truss 10, the inner leg portions18a of each section will intersect at 26, and the outer leg portions 18bwill intersect at 28. The junction of the end edges 24 of the sectionsis welded and may be ground on the front side wherein only the baseportion 20 is apparent, as with the trusses nearest the viewer as shownin FIG. l. To strengthen the interconnection between the sections 12 and12', a plate 30 may be superimposed over the line of interconnection andwelded to the section end portions to reinforce the interconnection, asshown in FIG. 2.

The angle of the end edges 24 is such that the truss sections aredisposed approximately relative to each other, whereby a form, such aswill be apparent from FIG. 2, is accomplished.

The outer end portions 16 and 16' of the sections are formed at an angleto the longitudinal axis of the associated sections so that when thevertically disposed section is so related that the plane of the legportion 18b is vertical, the end 32 of the inclined section will,likewise, be vertical. Thus, a proper relationship between the ends 32and end plates of interconnected `trusses will be provided as describedlater.

An end plate 34 is welded to each section end 32. The end plates 34 areshown in detail in FIG. 5 and include a pair of fastener-receiver holes36 dened therein.

The outer leg portions 18b of the sections 12 and 12' are provided witha plurality of fastener-receiving holes 38 defined therein, FIG. 3. Theholes 38, in each section of a common truss are located in an identicalrelationship with respect to the apex of the angle defined by thesections 12 and 12'.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that the sections of a commontruss 10 are identical in configuration, except that one truss is themirror image of the other. In this manner, when the truss sections areinterconnected, as shown in FIG. 2, to define a complete truss, theerector has the option as to which section is to constitute the columnportion of the truss and which section will constitute theroof-supporting section.

A typical use of the truss of the invention is shown in FIG. 1. In FIG.1, four trusses have been installed and assembled in a manner to providea shelter solely supported on the four trusses. In erecting thestructure of FIG. 1, four holes are dug into the ground, whereby theouter end portion 16 of a truss section may be received within one ofthe holes and concrete poured therein. As will be apparent from FIG. 1,the trusses are so related that the leg portions 18 of the trusssections face each other, or inwardly with respect to the shelter. Thus,the smooth side of the truss will face outwardly and provide, the mostpleasing appearance. The two trusses nearest the observer, as viewed inFIG. 1, are so positioned that the end plates 34 are contiguous, and theend plates may be interconnected by means of a pair of bolts, not shown,passing through the holes 36. In like manner, the two trusses farthestfrom the observer are interconnected.

Roof panels are then laid on the inclined truss sections and, by meansof fasteners received in the fastener-receiving holes 38, the roofpanels may be affixed to the truss sections. If desired, bracing rods 42may be used to support the overhanging portion of the roof panels.

To construct the shelter of FIG. 1, it will be appreciated that it isonly necessary to interconnect the end plates 34 of the trusses, andthen bolt the roof panels to the trusses to form the complete structure,once the trusses are properly embedded in the ground.

When installing trusses in accord with the invention, it is desirable toinstall the truss so that the outer leg portion 18b of the columnportion of the truss is vertical. Thus, the end plate 34 of theassociated truss will also be vertical for a proper relationship to thetruss end plate to be connected thereto by bolts.

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 illustrate the types of shelters which may beconstructed when using a truss in accord with the invention. Byinstalling two trusses side-byside so that the outer end portions 18b ofthe column portions are adjacent, a Y arrangement is produced, as willbe apparent in FIG. 6 at the left. When a pair of trusses are disposedin this side-by-side relationship, bolt fasteners interconnect thetrusses extending through holes 38 and the tapered configuration of thesections produces a pleasing appearance.

Making the truss sections of identical length and of similarconfiguration, permits a single truss construction to be installed in avariety of applications and, thus, it is only necessary to construct asingle truss to produce any of the buildings shown in the drawings.

It is appreciated that various modifications to the invention may beapparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spiritand scope thereof.

I claim:

1. A truss member particularly suitable for use with shelters having aroof supported columns comprising, in combination, a pair of elongatedsections interconnected at an apex defining an inclined obtuse anglebetween said sections, said sections being of identical longitudinallength and constituting a mirror image of each other and each of saidsections having an outer end and an inner end, said sections beinginterconnected at their inner ends and defining an obtuse angle suitableas the angle between the roof and supporting columns of a shelter, saidsections each being of a channel shaped transverse cross section definedby a planar base portion and leg portions extending from the baseportion, said base portions of said interconnected sections beingcoplanar and parallel with the plane in which the included angle definedby said sections lies, the leg portions of both interconnected sectionsextending in a common direction from the plane of said base portions,fastener receiving holes defined in said leg portions outwardly disposedrelative to the included angle defined by said sections, said holes inboth sections being symmetrically related to the apex of saidinterconnected sections, an end surface defined on said outer end ofeach of said sections, the end surface of each of said sections, beinggenerally parallel to the longitudinal length of the other section, saidtruss being selectively installable whereby either section mayconstitute a column whereupon the other section constitutes a roofsupport and upon one of said sections longitudinal length beingsubstantially vertical to constitute a column the other sectionconstitutes a roof support and the end surface on the sectionconstituting the roof support is substantially vertical.

2. A truss member as in claim 1 wherein said base portions are of alongitudinally tapered configuration having a maximum dimension at saidinner ends of said sections.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,989,154 6/1961 Colby 52-643 X2,994,944 8/1961 Prudhon 52-73 X 3,082,221 6/1963 Parsons et al. 52- 720X 3,113,648 12/1963 Key 52-93 3,157,251 11/1964 Rasch 52-263 X 3,162,27812/1964 Rasch 52720 X 3,224,151 12/1965 Nystrorn 52-90 3,308,596 3/1967Cooper et al 52-93 X 3,309,120 3/1967 Wada 52-93 X FOREIGN PATENTS224,161 2/ 1943 Switzerland.

HENRY C. SUTHERLAND, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R.

@my l UNITED STATES PATENT omar.

CERTIFICATE OF CRRECTION Patent No. a 52 25 Dated August 2Q laaInventorh) 39mg; S, lggmger It 1e certified thet error eppeere in theabove-identified patent end,thet eeid Lettere Petentere hereby correctedee ehovn below:

BENQ@ (SEAL) Attest:

nrazzzfzoner Lf Patpnts

